Chance
by popmuzik68
Summary: A chance meeting with a girl on the streets of Trost could change Armin's life and endanger the Survey Corps. Is Kate really someone who means them harm? Or will she become someone he can truly care for? Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I have no right or claim to the characters created by Hajime Isayama.
1. Chapter 1

The first time Armin saw the girl in the streets of Trost, Jean knocked her over with his pack.

"What the hell?" Jean exclaimed, looking down at the girl he'd sent sprawling onto her backside on the walkway.

Armin was quicker to respond. He let his own pack slide to the cobblestones and knelt to help.

"Sorry about my friend there. He's too busy thinking about our military exercise. Are you okay?"

"I'm not hurt." She tugged at the plain gray fabric of her skirt where it tangled at her knees. "So you're soldiers?"

Armin caught a glimpse of slim calves in white stockings before she righted the dress. He hoped he didn't flush like an idiotic schoolboy. "Yes, here for Commander Pixis' exhibition." He offered her a quick smile. She looked back down at the tangle of cloth and paper that had spilled from her basket. Sunlight caught in the smooth sweep of her red-gold hair as she pushed some of the loose curls behind her ears.

Jean finally recovered his manners and leaned down as well. "I'm very sorry, Miss -?"

"I'm Kate. Kate Johnson. And it's fine. I wasn't really watching where I was going." She hurriedly stacked some papers and something that looked suspiciously like an old book of maps.

Armin's fingers closed around it before she could tuck it in the basket. The leather cover was worn and split, the pages within crackled with age. Reverently, he opened the cover.

"Are these maps? From beyond the walls?"

Kate laughed. "Silly! How could such a thing exist?" She gently tugged at the slim volume when Armin seemed to have difficulty surrendering it. She hid the book away under some fabric and ribbon. "No, just someone's fantasy about what may lie beyond." She turned her head to watch one of the Garrison troops stroll by. "You know it's not anything anyone would know for certain."

Her level gaze almost dared him to contradict her. But then she smiled sweetly and accepted the hand Jean extended to help her to her feet. "Thank you both. Well, not for knocking me down, but for showing courtesy in helping me up."

Armin stood as well. Her smile lit her blue-green eyes and brought into prominence a dimple in her right cheek. She was seriously cute. On her feet, she was at a height with him while Jean towered over them both. She had a sprinkle of golden freckles across her nose to go with that flame-bright hair.

"And good luck with your military exhibition."

"Wait!" Armin called as she hurried away. "It was nice meeting you! And my name is Armin!"

Beside him, Jean snorted. "Smooth, Arlert."

"And you're such an expert?" Armin watched the red-haired girl disappear into the crowd. "What was it you said when you first saw Mikasa? Oh, I know – 'You have beautiful black hair.' Which she cut. Immediately."

"Hmmph." Jean scowled. He liked Armin too much to tell him to screw off. His unrequited adulation of Mikasa was a sore subject. "Kate is pretty cute. Glad to see you looking at someone besides Jaeger. I imagine she lives close by, eh? We're in town for a few days. Maybe you can track her down."

"Maybe," Armin said thoughtfully. "And I certainly don't look at Eren like, well, like _that_." Kate had played off his questions about the book quite well, but still. "She all but batted her eyes at me to distract me from that book. I wonder…."

Jean made a rude noise. "Leave it to you to be more impressed by a book than a pretty girl smiling at you. I'll let you daydream about it while I focus on our competition."

Once Conny and Sasha caught up to them, talk turned to their pending demonstration for Commander Pixis and of the wild boar terrorizing the surrounding countryside. But Armin's thoughts kept straying to strawberry-blonde hair and blue-green eyes.

Kate – her name really was Kate, just not Kate Johnson – allowed herself a grin as the young soldier called his name out to her as she pushed through the crowd. He had been totally adorable, from his blond sweep of hair to the toes of his high, polished boots. He didn't look like a soldier, not like his sharp-faced friend. His intelligent gaze had locked onto the book immediately as though he knew its true worth.

Casting a last look around, she gripped her basket closer and ducked into an alley. Tomorrow she would pass the book off to the shadows who had paid her to retrieve it in the first place. She just had to keep it safe that long. Hugging the basket to her body with her elbow, Kate skinnied up an iron gutter drain and hauled herself up on the roof with a groan. Climbing in a skirt was a bitch, but a girl wearing pants – a girl who wasn't in the military, anyway – drew too much attention.

Her slippers made little noise on the roof tiles, but the press of humanity below covered her steps well enough. She paused in the early dusk to look towards the wall. The sun was a drop of blazing gold above the deep shadow cast by Wall Rose. There were soldiers everywhere, but they were focused on readying the ODM course and exchanging gossip from the interior and the Garrison. Hopefully such activity would be a blessing rather than a hindrance…

A few roofs over, she shimmied down a decorative iron railing into the wide street. Here, the houses were large with opulent gardens and wide porches. Kate took a moment to smooth her skirts and her hair before straightening her back and joining the pedestrian traffic along the walk. She was late for dinner – again – but her uncle shouldn't be too angry. He might not even notice.

She slipped in the kitchen door. Cook was just lighting the sconces as Kate scurried through to the dining room.

"They've just sat down, ma'am, so hurry on."

"Thanks, Anika."

Her uncle and her cousin were so engrossed in their heated argument that they barely glanced at her entrance.

"It's not right!" Her cousin Jan was fair like her, so his pale complexion was suffused with the color his anger aroused. "The crown can't continue to pretend hardship doesn't exist beyond Wall Sina. Have you not seen what our people deal with?"

"Jan, we're a noble family. We're expected to fall in with the king and be rewarded for our loyalty." Uncle George calmly buttered a hard roll. He acknowledged Kate with an incline of his head. "Unless you'd rather move somewhere else and see for yourself. Talk like that will get you in trouble." He cast a glance at Kate. "Now enough. Let's enjoy the lovely meal Anika prepared and speak about more pleasant things."

Jan unwillingly turned his attention to his food, but he flashed Kate one mulish glance. He and his father were always at each other about what was fair within these walls. Jan contended for more rights, better food and all sorts of nonsense for the lower classes. He even thought the selection process for the Military Police was a waste of soldiers best suited for other branches of their military.

As she sipped her soup, Kate's mind wandered back to the soldier she had met that afternoon. Undoubtedly Armin's family was not noble nor would he earn an opportunity to enforce the king's rule as an MP. But his eyes had held such a depth of intelligence and perception that she had been alarmed that he had seen through her flirtatious effort to distract him from the maps.

Kate sighed. Her latest assignment had been far more difficult than she had anticipated. The merchant who had discovered the book had plans to turn it over to the Survey Corps – at a handsome price, of course. His estate, well- guarded due to his suspicious nature, had been challenging to access. Had she been discovered in the process, she would have been arrested. Or worse. But this was it – she was done after this, her debt paid in full. _I_ **am** _a loyal servant of our king, and I mean to prove it._


	2. Chapter 2

The second time Armin saw Kate, she was slipping in an out of the huge crowd that milled around beyond the ODM obstacles. Tired and sweaty from his own fairly lackluster run - _Thank the Walls I'm freaking brilliant so I don't have to rely on my ODM skills_ \- he had stopped to get a drink of cold water from one of the stations set up for the soldiers. He narrowed his eyes at her slender form because she was inexplicably dressed as a male servant. Her hair was tucked under a brimmed cap, but he still recognized those blue-green eyes and the dimple that graced her cheek when she frowned in concentration.

Curious, he stepped directly into her path. Head cocked over her shoulder, she never noticed.

"Ah!" she exclaimed when she collided with Armin and his substantial gear.

He steadied her with a hand on her shoulder and just watched her. He expected her to explain her appearance as would anyone caught in such an odd situation.

Except she didn't. Her eyes were wide and focused on his so he knew she recognized him. He could feel the delicate bones of her shoulder beneath the linen of her thin jacket. Up close, no one could mistake her for a boy, not with the delicate arch her brows made above those unique eyes.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from under his hand and straightened her shoulders.

"Excuse me." And she tucked a small paper-wrapped package firmly under her jacket and strode back into the crowd.

"Hey, Armin! Who're you talking to?" Conny, flushed from his successful turn around the course, slapped his shoulder.

Armin flinched. "No one, really. Just someone who bumped into me."

Oblivious to the distance in his friend's gaze, Conny launched into a narrative of how he had beat Jean to every target and undoubtedly impressed every officer watching.

"Really? _Really_?!" Kate muttered to herself. Of all the damn people here, she had the misfortune to run into Armin, the soldier who had actually seen the book of maps, AND he had recognized her. The more distance she put between herself, that soldier and this book, the better.

His eyes, so astute and so damn _blue_ beneath the damp gold of his hair, had seen right through her meager disguise. She could still feel the touch of his hand on her shoulder, but she shook it off and focused on her task. Why she felt pulled to boys with the slight, scholarly look he possessed she had no idea.

Her contact was waiting near the stands set up for spectators to watch the exhibition. "I have an invitation for the king," she said, her tone bland.

The MP looked her up and down doubtfully. "And how will I know he will accept this invitation?"

 _Do not tell this arrogant ass where he could put an invitation….._ Yeah, she was younger than the typical paid informant, but she was hardly inexperienced.

"Oh, he will. He paid in advance. Tell him it's from Phoenix."

"Fine. Now go on."

Kate nearly wilted in relief when the soldier took the plain wrapped package, then dismissed her with the turn of his back. Done. Excellent. She wouldn't just rise from the ashes like the legendary bird her father told her about long ago. She would soar away from her burning nest and make her own righteous path.

The third time Armin saw Kate, a year or so had passed. Trost was falling and his best friend was dead, swallowed by a monster….. The fetid steam from titan carcasses mixed with smoke from a ruined home to form an ungodly haze. His grapple failed to catch and Armin slammed into a wall, sliding down to collapse on the street.

Stunned, devastated, he curled in a ball to heave dry sobs against the road. He pressed his cheek into the cold, gritty stone. The pain couldn't block the image of Eren, his face bloodied and fierce, vowing to see beyond the walls and then the titan's mouth had snapped shut – Armin shrieked again until his voice nearly gave under the grief. Eventually, he rose. He couldn't focus, couldn't figure out why it mattered that he needed to move.

This section of town where some of the elite families had lived was eerily quiet. He found Hannah, another cadet, on her knees in the street beside another soldier. It was Franz, her boyfriend. Every thrust of her hands to his chest sent blood – and worse things – from his ragged midsection. He had been torn in two. It was too much to bear. His mind broke.

How long did he wander? Did it matter? He didn't care. His best friend was gone, devoured by the monster that, by rights, should have Armin himself dead within its belly. The shouts of other soldiers were distant, surreal. Maybe they wanted to live. He was almost certain he didn't.

Steps, lumbering closer, shook the foundation of the very street. Some remnant of self-preservation made him duck into the devastation that had been an impressive townhome. The titan, a 10-meter with shaggy blonde hair, continued on, mindlessly searching for more humans. Armin crouched in the debris, still numb.

"What are you doing here?"

The harsh whisper behind him had him whirling around, hand on a sword hilt. A red-haired girl was curled under the remains of a table, glaring at him. It was Kate, the girl he'd met in the streets of Trost months ago. Her bright blue dress was dusty and torn, its skirt pulled up around her scraped knees to reveal her bare feet.

He ignored her question. "Why haven't you evacuated? There's too many of them for us to handle. You have to get up the wall. All the other civilians are gone."

She wiped her face, leaving tracks in the dirt and tears on her cheeks. "I hurt my ankle running back here once the wall was breached. But they were gone. My family, the servants, everyone. I didn't know what to do, where else to go."

Armin blinked in surprise. "They left you."

She shook her head. "They thought I was with a friend. I tried to get back here but – " Kate closed her eyes.

"They left you," he repeated.

"No! It was a mistake!" They wouldn't, no matter what. They hadn't even known she'd snuck out that morning, intent on gathering information about the Corps' next mission. As distant as her uncle could be, she knew he cared for her. She was all he had left of his brother – her father. Traitor though he'd been, Uncle George had loved him dearly.

Armin sat down heavily, oblivious to the glass shards strewn across the wooden floor. He should be dead. He was a coward and his best friend had been swallowed by a titan. But this girl, she had no place in all this madness.

"I'll have to get you out."

He said it like he didn't believe he could.

"How?"

Armin dug the heels of his hands into his eyes. _Think, think_ ….no, he just couldn't do it.

"I was going to try the passage from our cellar, but I couldn't open it."

"You have an underground passage from your cellar?"

She nodded, her disheveled hair curling around her shoulders. Terror was embedded in her very expression, obvious in the watch she kept through the ruined windows. "My uncle is a powerful man in Trost. He had an escape route – not planned for something like this – in case anyone decided he was _too_ powerful. It takes us out near the wall, at the nearest Garrison station."

Armin wiped sweat, tears and God knew what else from his eyes. "OK. Show me the entrance. Maybe we can clear it."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"One more time. We have to hurry." He could hear screaming now outside the debris, screaming and the whine of ODM gear. The rubble shook with the steps of the monsters that prowled the streets. Kate was wild-eyed as she pulled at the iron handle embedded into the floor. With a shriek, the wooden door gave a fraction.

Armin grunted with the strain. Something huge fell on the corner of the house, scattering plaster and stone. Kate screamed and let go as glass from a basement window powdered her hair and shoulders. "They're coming!"

The door, mounted flush with the stone floor, finished its opening arc with a heavy thump. "In! Kate, let's go!"

The space was dark and close, but they threw themselves in it as another section of the house collapsed.

Kate crammed her fist against her mouth as they struggled through the tunnel. She wouldn't scream again, no matter what. White-hot pain jarred her ankle with every step, but she fought down her sobs. _It's going to be fine, it's going to be fine_ ….her silent litany helped her focus and calm her desperate thoughts. For about two seconds at least.

"Damnit, it's dark in here. How far? Do you know?" Armin was panting as they stumbled through the foul darkness. His gear dredged against the wall with an eerie, metallic squeal.

Kate trailed her fingers along the damp wall. "No idea," she gasped. "But it takes us straight there."

They scrambled through the cold darkness as fast as they dared.

"I'm sorry. You didn't have to do this."

Armin stopped so suddenly Kate ran into his back. "I couldn't leave you," he said, his voice low in the close air of the tunnel. Her fingers found his in the darkness and he returned their grip. "I still have to get you up the wall and rejoin the others. And you're alive, at least. I….I lost someone really important. I need to tell our friend what happened. She's not going to take it well."

Just the thought of telling Mikasa about Eren nearly brought him to his knees to retch against the dirt floor.

Kate tugged his hand gently, her fingers warm on his. The contact was reassuring in the absolute darkness. "That's not news anyone would take well, Armin. Thank you for helping me. When I couldn't find my family, I panicked. And hid. "

They continued on in silence, hands still joined. The tunnel inclined until faint light guided them to another door, this time set into the wall.

"This could be bad. Depending on what's up there, we could be even worse off."

"We'll open it together," Kate affirmed.

The surface was blood-drenched chaos around the MP station. A soldier from the Garrison took down a 10 meter, screaming as his blades chewed through Achilles tendon and bone. The titan roared as it fell, its obscene mouth spewing saliva. More soldiers fell on it, their blades slicing in defiance.

Armin's instincts kicked in sluggishly. There were two smaller titans between them and the wall. One of them looked around with purpose, actively searching for prey. If he could distract them, perhaps get the attention of a solider on the wall….but Kate couldn't run well. She'd be snagged in the deviant's hand before he could get back up.

"Let's try for the next building over," Kate whispered. "The door's open."

Armin unsheathed his blades. Their weight steadied his trembling hands. "As quick as you can. I'll hang back to cover you. Don't look back, just go."

Kate took a deep breath. Her hands were shaking too. It was raining now, the sky as grey as all the stone around them….and she gathered her skirts and darted out into the open.

Armin watched her run. The rain slid down his face, made the triggers of his sword hilts slick. The 5 meter deviant, though small fry compared to the one having its nape hacked by desperate cadets, lumbered directly toward the girl.

"Kate, GO!" Armin screamed. He launched himself at the building, sinking an anchor and swinging in a wide arc towards the titan. He sliced its outstretched fingers with a desperate left-handed slash. Blood spattered his face, steamed in his hair. With a grunt of effort, he released the cable and dropped straight down, slicing through the putrid flesh of the monster's chest and belly.

Kate ducked into the building. Armin slid through offal and more steaming blood, making the doorway himself as a palm slammed down behind him. The force of its impact against the street sent him sprawling through the opening.

Kate was plastered against a wall, her turquoise eyes wide with sheer panic. Titan blood steamed on her sleeve and face. Armin cursed as he struggled to find his feet, head still ringing from the fall. They had to move or the building was a tomb that was about to be flattened.

"Move! Now!" he growled at the frightened girl. He dared not sheathe his blades to grab her. "Kate, let's go! It's our only chance."

Kate felt like her heart would burst in her chest. She had known fear in her subversive work for the crown, but this was beyond anything she had ever experienced. Humans who threatened could be reasoned with, persuaded. But not these monsters. She was going to die.

Armin used his body to crowd her into motion. A hand crashed through the window, sending glass and timber in a wave of shrapnel over their heads. Kate scrambled up, sobbing as she fled.

Out the back and into an alley…..Armin assessed their options with one quick glance. "Loop your arms around my neck and hold on to the back of my harness. We're going up the wall. Now."

Without question she did as he asked, pressing her damp face against his neck.

There wasn't much room to maneuver. Armin longed for some of Jean's poise with his gear, for even a measure of Mikasa's skill or Eren's sheer determination. But he was just him and he would have to manage.

"Walls preserve us," he muttered. And fired his cables.

Kate lay sprawled across his chest, her legs tangled with his. Armin's outstretched limbs felt like lead as he heaved in breath after deep breath.

"You kids okay?"

Armin blinked raindrops from his lids. "Yeah," he croaked. "Her ankle is hurt. And she needs to find her family."

He struggled to sit up, but Kate's hands closed around the straps at his shoulders. She was now sobbing into his chest, crying in great broken gulps. Awkwardly, still more numb than anything, Armin eased her up with him.

"Thank you, Armin." She pushed away to see his face. "You truly saved my life. I would have hidden under that table and died if not for you."

"Let's get up, Kate, so these soldiers can help you." He pulled her to her feet. They leaned into each other, neither one steady enough to stand alone. Her hair was damp silk against his cheek.

"Who are you and where are you supposed to be, cadet?" The other soldier asked him.

Armin looked away. "I'm Armin Arlert. I was part of Squad 34. The others….didn't make it. I'll join the remaining cadets now."

The officer saluted. "Thank you, Cadet Arlert. I commend you for such a selfless act."

Armin almost laughed hysterically _. Selfless? Like my best friend flinging me out of a titan's mouth? Saving me only to die like an animal?_

"Now, Miss, let's get you down on the other side so we can treat you. And find your family."

Armin saluted and turned back to the ruins of Trost. His friends….who was left? Were they all dead, save him, the worst coward of all?

"Armin! Wait!" Kate cried out.

She pulled at his shoulder, half-spinning him around to face him. Her eyes were still wide from residual fear. Tears made new tracks in the dirt on her cheeks, but she was alive.

"Stay safe, Armin. Please. Promise me."

He lifted a corner of his mouth in a half-smile. Despite her terror she had stayed with him and they had made it up the wall. "Take care, Kate." He couldn't promise her anything, not after everything he had seen today.

Before he could turn again, she buried her hands in his wet hair and kissed him, hard, on the mouth, her eyes open wide to his. The brief taste he had of rain and tears on her lips was astonishingly sweet.

And then she backed away and let him go.

Conny found him sometime later, huddled on a roof. And hell hadn't gone away. They were still mired in it, the few hopeless soldiers that were left. And dear God, how could he tell Mikasa…..


	4. Chapter 4

_Old Survey Corps Headquarters, Two Weeks Before the 57_ _Th_ _Expedition_

As far as Armin could determine, the only benefit to _not_ having Eren bunk with the rest of them was that he couldn't take place in the general horseplay that idle time invariably generated. This was their only half-day off all week and so far he'd broken up two arguments (Conny and Jean the first time, Ymir and Conny the second time…), been forced to participate in a contest to see who could best imitate Levi's droll speech and witnessed Sasha streaking through the upper floor in her underwear.

Had Eren been there, undoubtedly the theatrics would have been even more competitive.

Sighing, he burrowed further into his bunk. He had found a few old books in the library's cabinets and was determined to at least skim through both. One was a history of medicinal herbs that was frankly boring as hell. The other was a cheap serial novel that he stuffed under his pillow so none of his squadmates could nab it.

The loud debate over who had the best ODM skills ebbed as the door to the room he shared with Jean and Conny opened abruptly. Conny, poised to execute a 360-degree turn from the top of his bunk, hesitated long enough to flail backwards onto the floor.

Hanji regarded the scene with curiosity. "Try it again, Springer." she suggested.

"Ah, no, I'm good." Conny hastily climbed to his feet. Jean tried to look innocent – and completely uninteresting – in his own bunk. Capturing Hanji's interest could go wrong too quickly.

"Just curious to see if you could really turn in such a tight space. Levi would be impressed." Her glasses glinted in the light as she focused on Armin. "Cadet Arlert, Commander Erwin needs to speak with you before curfew."

"Me?" he squeaked. What did Erwin want with him?

"Yes, indeed, sweetheart. Come along. Levi and Eren are waiting as well."

Armin followed the squad leader out of their room. Jean and Conny watched him go wordlessly, believing the worst. Erwin would undoubtedly be waiting in the makeshift office he used when he came to check on their training progress. But Captain Levi and Eren as well? Two weeks before an expedition? This could _not_ be good.

It was worse than he thought.

"A party? We're invited to a party?"

Levi, half-seated on the corner of the desk, made a rude noise. He ignoring Erwin's reproving glance. "A social gathering, if you will, of some of the noble families of Trost." Erwin leaned back in his chair, appraising both boys with his cool blue stare. "Some of them want the opportunity to rub shoulders with Eren, here, because he helped save their city."

"Or because they want to brag about meeting the creepy titan-boy," Levi muttered.

"Of course, Commander," Eren said, ignoring their Captain. "I'll do whatever you need me to."

Erwin nodded in approval. "And you, Arlert. It seems you helped the niece of a prominent citizen. She says you saved her life after Trost was breached, so her uncle insists on thanking you personally. Know anything about this?"

"Ah, yes, sir. I think so." Wow, he had all but forgotten rescuing the girl named Kate. "After Eren….saved me from the titan that you know, _swallowed_ him, I was in shock. I wandered around, looking for another squad to join. I found a girl hiding in her home. She showed me an underground passage that helped us get closer to the wall. I managed to get her up the wall to safety. I'm glad she found her family."

He left out a few details concerning their previous meetings but decided Erwin only needed to know the basics.

"She did indeed. Her uncle is a very wealthy man, but he has always publicly denigrated the Survey Corps. This may be an excellent opportunity to change his mind. And secure a generous donation towards our next expedition."

"Sir, when is this gathering?" Eren asked curiously. He was surprised they were allowing him into the city at all.

"Tomorrow night. Levi and I, as well as Mike and Hanji, will attend." Erwin turned his intense focus on Eren. "Levi is there to watch your every move. That's the condition of our custody of you, Eren. It's critical we follow protocol."

"Yes, sir," Eren promised. "I won't let you down."

Levi stood up abruptly. "And what that means, Jaeger, is that you are no more than a meter from me at ALL times. You don't even take a piss without me holding your –"

"Yes, Captain. I totally understand," Eren interrupted hastily. Levi was intimidating, often crude and occasionally genuinely personable. This odd combination kept Eren on his toes where their captain was concerned. He suspected Levi liked it that way.

"Well, then. Until tomorrow, gentlemen."

Once dismissed by Erwin, Armin had no choice but to watch as Levi herded his best friend to his basement room for curfew. He missed talking to him, damn it all. Aside from meals, Eren spent so much time with the rest of Levi's elite squad that the rest of the cadets rarely saw him. Even Mikasa's companionship was just too stoic to replace the conversations he was used to having with Eren.

And Kate…..how bizarre that several random encounters would bring them to something that could benefit the 57th expedition. And maybe this time, with all his wits about him, Armin might be able to ask Kate a few pointed questions about her behavior.

Eren tugged at his collar, cursing again.

"Stop it. It's fine," Armin admonished for the tenth time. The stiff dress shirt was irritating under his green cloak as well, but he schooled himself not to fidget. And he felt oddly light without the gear he had become so accustomed to wearing.

Eren sighed and turned his moody gaze to the carriage window. Everyone else was mounted for the trip into Trost but he and Armin were shut in a carriage like a pair of toddlers. "How come you got to save a cute girl while I had to turn into a deformed monster? You never said anything about this girl, anyway."

Armin laughed. "Yeah, well, it was no picnic. And I never said she was cute." His expression sobered. "And you're not a monster. You're still my best friend. I thought you were dead. Don't ever do that to me again, Eren."

Eren turned back to him with an ironic smile of his own. "I don't plan to die just yet. We have too much to accomplish."

"The last time you talked smack you got eaten by a titan." Eren just grinned at him. "As far as 'rescuing' Kate, to be honest I completely forgotten about it. So much happened after that."

"Yeah, a few things." Near-death at the hands of the Garrison had Pixis not intervened, Armin's plan to stop the titan incursion, Armin rousing him from whatever place his titan body had sent him…."You know, I'm just a tool. You're the brains behind this but no one is calling you a hero."

"It doesn't really matter. I just want to do what I can."

As they drew closer to the city, the driver slowed the carriage as the road became more congested. Traffic crawled around debris and damaged sections of roadway.

"So much destruction," Eren murmured, looking out the window again.

Homes with damaged roofs and collapsed walls stood in mute testament to the titan invasion. The city was still in rubble. Teams of Garrison engineers were working to remove debris from the roads and verify the structural integrity of many buildings. The gate in Wall Rose would never open again, but at least Trost was secure.

Erwin had told them that Kate's home had been all but flattened during the titan invasion. Having been in it briefly before its collapse, that didn't surprise Armin. Her uncle had set up a temporary household within another relative's estate. Within the scrolled iron gates, the well-manicured lawn spread in soft green waves around a brick, two-story manor. Candlelight glittered through dozens of windows, turning the glass gold in the dusk.

"Holy shit!" Eren exclaimed for both their sakes. They looked at each other with a combination of awe and dismay. So much land, unused except for decorative purposes, was such a damn waste.

Levi and Erwin swept them within the home as quickly as possible. Levi's scowl was off the chart.

"Next time, just kill me first."

Erwin clapped him on the shoulder as they were ushered in through an elaborate set of wooden doors. "Just be thankful you don't deal with this on a regular basis, my friend. I'd rather face titans any day."

The first hour was a blur of voices, music and extravagant food offered on delicate china plates. When Eren tried to snag a crystal of some sort of cool, bubbly wine, Levi's glare threatened dire, unusual punishment.

"Geez," Eren grumbled while Armin hid a smile. Another server brought them tea and an assortment of tiny biscuits stuffed with herbs and slivers of chicken. With meat so rare, such extravagance only further exhibited their host's wealth. Eren wolfed them down while Armin watched in amusement. He was too nervous to eat.

"Everyone's staring at you, Jaeger. Make sure you look pretty for your fans." Levi sipped his own tea, his gaze skimming the well-dressed crowd. The soldiers – especially their captain - stood out like swords in a dress shop, their uniforms a stark contrast to the silks and linens of the civilians. Like his commander, Levi would rather face a horde of 15-meter titans than these pretentious jerks.

Most of the looks cast in their direction were speculative, others faintly horrified.

"Not everyone. I see a few checking you out, Captain," Eren retorted. He jabbed an elbow in Armin's side. "And I don't know if you've noticed, but someone's been watching you since we got here. She's over there, by the fireplace."

Armin followed his friend's gaze to the person in question. Her pale green dress was embroidered with thread that flashed silver in the candlelight. And her red-gold hair was swept up in an elaborate style that accentuated her slim, pale neck.

"That's her. That's Kate, the girl I rescued."

Eren's brows went up. "Shit, Armin, she's freaking gorgeous. Again, why not me?"

"Well, that's not how she looked when I last saw her. Although even Jean thought she was pretty cute. And besides, you've had half a dozen girls ogling you since we got here. And giggling. Thank goodness Mikasa isn't here. There would be bloodshed."

"Deviants," Levi declared. "Fascinated with your specific ability."

Across the room, Kate lifted her gaze to his and smiled shyly. Armin felt something warm and light twist in his stomach as he smiled back at her. There were a dozen pretty girls scattered throughout the room, but she was the only one who made his mind go fuzzy when he looked at her. She winked at him, then turned to follow another man out of the room.

"Eren, Armin." Commander Erwin had appeared again. "Sir George Scholz and his niece, Kate Scholz, would like to meet you now."

Scholz? Despite the passage of time, Armin was pretty sure Kate had said her last name was Johnson. Perhaps he had been mistaken. Seeing your friend emerge from the carcass of a titan would scramble anyone's memory.

Erwin lead them out of the crowded salon and down a hall carpeted in soft brown wool. Sir George and Kate were waiting in a small office. Cooler night air and the burble of a small fountain drifted through one of the open windows.

In spite of their peaceful surroundings, Erwin seemed on edge. "Stay close," he cautioned Levi in a low voice. "Something about him doesn't sit well with me."

Armin overheard. At his commander's request, Levi seemed to go even more still and alert.

"Welcome, gentlemen!" Sir George stood to greet them. He looked ordinary enough, if a bit on the plump side. His hair was reddish, just like Kate's. But his eyes were intense, shrewd, as if his jovial manner was a front for something else entirely.

"I thank you for coming, Commander Erwin, and allowing our city's young savior to mingle with some thankful citizens." He bowed slightly to Eren, who shifted uncomfortably on the soft carpet. "And you must be the young cadet who saved my Kate."

"Ah, yes, sir. But I – we're Scouts now, sir. And I'm glad I was able to assist your niece."

He risked a shy glance at Kate. She was studying Eren intently, almost frowning, but her expression cleared when she looked back to Armin. Her smile was wider this time, showing her dimple and sending that squiggly feeling through his gut again.

"Scouts, indeed. You're just children." Sir George's tone was skeptical. He eyed them a moment before turning back to Erwin. "I hear you're planning yet another useless mission beyond the walls, Commander Smith? What is your purpose? Your goal? Besides wasting more of our taxpayer's money and extending false hope?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Armin saw Levi tense and his hands twitch towards swords that were not at his side. Good thing.

"Uncle George, really?" Kate's unexpected words were low but firm. "These soldiers nearly sacrificed their lives to save our city and here you are going on about _that_ nonsense?"

Sir George had the courtesy to seem embarrassed by his own directness. "You're right, sweetheart. Forgive me, sirs. Eren, please allow me to introduce my son. His societal views cross with mine often enough as he supports those Wings you wear on your back…."

With Erwin's approval, Eren and Levi accompanied Sir George to meet his son.

Armin turned his attention to the girl. Mike stayed with him, but leaned against the wall, just out of earshot.

"I'm glad you were reunited with your family," he offered.

"Was Eren the person you spoke about?" Her question was abrupt given their lack of greeting. "The one you said you had lost?"

"Yes, he was. I'm sure you heard all about what happened to him."

Kate nodded. "I can't imagine what you both went through. A titan! Who could have imagined?" She seemed to give herself a mental shake. "I apologize, Armin. I was just a little startled that he was your friend. Would you like something to drink? Maybe some lemonade?"

"Of course. Squad Leader Zacharius would probably like to check on Squad Leader Hange, anyway. She can get a little enthusiastic about her work."

"Squad Leader?" Her gaze cut to Mike's tall form. He seemed impassive, but Armin saw the barest hint of something in his expression, like he smelled something distasteful yet was too polite to mention it.

The music and voices made it easier to converse more naturally in the main salon. Armin escorted Kate to secure some lemonade. She must be fairly close to him in age, he thought, and he was relieved to be a few inches taller now. But he caught more than one patron giving him a look from the corner of a critical eye.

"I don't really fit in here."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Please. They're just incredibly nosy. They know you helped me, so they were eager for a look at you."

"Not much to look at, I'm afraid." Funny how your ODM gear could make you feel a lot more confident. Here, with only his cloak to identify him, he felt like a small, skinny kid in a room of polished adults. Of course, that's exactly what he was.

"That's not really true, Armin. You're a soldier. _I_ know how courageous you are. Don't worry about them."

Her low assurance sparked another warm glow in his chest.

Kate guided him to a settee near the fire place and motioned for him to take the seat next to her. They faced each other, their knees bumping together as they moved. She leaned forward, the fabric of her dress rustling against his legs. She smelled like vanilla.

"Why did you decide to join the Corps? Wouldn't the Garrison be a better choice?"

He supposed it would, to someone who had not lived his life. "If you mean a safer choice, then sure. But becoming a Scout was the right thing for me. I need to prove myself, to do things for others. To improve this world by eliminating the titans – and figuring out why they are here." And to see beyond the wall as his parents had meant to.

Kate studied him for a moment. "And you have friends who joined too?"

Armin nodded, feeling his own focus tunnel inward. "I lost friends during the invasion of Trost." He thought of Thomas, Mina, Hannah and Franz. And Marco, one of the brightest of them all. "I decided then I would never wanted to feel helpless again. But everyone else – well, expect for Annie –joined the Corps. Even Jean, who is as self-centered as you can possibly get. He's the one who knocked you down when we first met."

She laughed at that, eyes sparkling. They sat for a moment, the sound of the party flowing around them. She was just so pretty, Armin told himself, so different than the girls he had grown up with and the female soldiers he knew now. Granted, girls like Mikasa and Christa were beautiful too, but he didn't feel compelled to look at them quite the same way.

She sobered. "Look – I'm sorry. About what happened when we got to the top of the wall. I was so scared, yet so relieved at the same time."

Armin smiled at her. He had seen grown men lose their sanity – and their lives – that day in the streets of Trost. Her response was hardly unusual. "It was okay to be scared, Kate. You had been through a tough time."

She shook her head and leaned forward again. "No, not the scared part, although I know I blubbered like an idiot. It was when I kissed you. I'm sorry. It was rather forward of me to kiss a boy I didn't really know. It's not something I had ever done before."

"No, no, it's ok," he assured her. "You were scared out of your mind. I mean, I'm not really the kind of guy most girls want to kiss. I sort of look like a girl, so I'm used to just being ignored. By girls, anyway. Not that it's boys that are looking at me." _Stop it_ _Arlert. You're babbling_. Unwittingly, he searched the crowded room for a familiar shock of dark brown hair and green eyes as if to use Eren as an anchor.

Kate followed his gaze until they both found Eren in the crowd. Eren looked visibly nervous with Levi two inches behind him and her cousin Jan questioning him, his face animated. "Oh, so, are you – I mean, are you two -" Her own face burning, she couldn't finish her inquiry.

Armin's brows rose. "Eren and I? We've been best friends forever. I've never wanted to kiss _him_ , that's for certain. He's too busy worrying about fun stuff like killing titans to really notice girls." Mikasa included, he thought, much to her consternation. "I wish I remembered that moment a little better. It was my first. Kiss, that is. Even if it was misplaced." Rather than babble again, he bit his tongue.

"It was genuine. You saved my life. The way we flew up the wall...I've never felt anything like that ever." Kate was the one who colored this time, the slight flush staining her cheeks a delightful shade of pink that matched her lips. Her gaze dropped to his mouth and then back up to his eyes.

"I could do it again? Maybe?" she whispered. "Not just because I'm grateful, but because it would be nicer if we weren't being chased by titans."

Armin gaped at her, his usually sharp brain robbed of any reason or ability to respond to her forwardness. When she leaned forward, he reached for her reflexively and clasped her upper arms. He closed his eyes when she kissed him, and wondered at the soft touch of her mouth against his own. He slid his hands down her arms, callused palms rough against the silk of her dress. The kiss was brief nut heady.

Kate drew back and cleared her throat.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you about Eren before. I'm sure Jan is giving him an earful. He'd throw on one of your green cloaks in a heartbeat if Uncle George would let him," she said ruefully. "There was a lot of talk about Eren after he was able to move the boulder and block the gate. Did you see him, you know, change?

Realizing he still loosely gripped her wrists, Armin pulled his own hands back. "Only from a distance. It's hard to explain. It's like a terrible storm concentrated in one specific place. And then appears a 15 meter titan that sort of still looks like your friend, but way freakier."

"Hey, I heard that," Eren had materialized beside him, startling them both. The look he gave his friend revealed he had seen the kiss and intended to grill him about it as soon as they were out the door.

"You're Kate, right? The girl Armin helped."

Her smile was pained. "If you mean I was the hysterical idiot he hauled to the top of the wall, then yes, absolutely. I am so thankful he happened to stumble into my house."

"Armin's amazing. Don't let him make you think otherwise. He's saved my a -. Ah, he's gotten me out of trouble several times. And this is Captain Levi of the Special Ops Squad. He's here to make sure we behave." Another pointed glance at Armin.

"You were in good hands with Arlert," Levi offered, warming slightly to Kate. He had either not seen Armin's moment of indiscretion or was too repulsed to mention it. "He shows true potential as a Scout."

Eren nudged his friend. "That's high praise," he grumbled. "And all get is crap."

Levi grunted. "Enough, brat. Time for you two to get back to HQ. We have training in the morning."

Kate giggled at them – and her giggle was far from annoying – and Armin found himself smiling at her like a moron.

As they left, Armin offered his hand in parting. Rather than shake it, she stepped close and kissed his cheek. "If you have leave, perhaps you would call on me sometime," she blurted.

Beside him, Eren stared for a moment then smirked. "I'm sure he can manage that. Right, Armin?"

This was beyond humiliating. His face must be seven shades of red. "Ah, sure. Maybe."

And then their commander was ushering them out into the night.

"Mike, a moment, please," Erwin requested of the squad leader.

"Sir?"

The carriage lanterns cast a small radius of light along the path around them.

"Between us, what did you think of the girl? I know Sir George has the ear of the king to some extent, but he has no need of subterfuge to get what he wants. Does he hate the Corps so much, then?"

"Something's off," Mike told him, his deep voice reflective. "I think she's the one we almost caught before Trost fell, when our negotiations fell through because the book of maps disappeared."

"I can always trust your senses, eh?" Erwin glanced at the carriage behind them. He half-smiled at the scraps of heated discussion they could hear from within. "She seems to be truly grateful to young Arlert. I wonder…."

"Are you plotting to use him as bait?" Levi had ridden up beside them, his horse's shod hooves ringing on the pavement. "I've no problem with that given what that girl has likely cost us, but be careful. He's almost as devious as you, Erwin."

"You're right about that. Don't worry, Levi. I have a plan."

Mike and Levi's eyes met behind Erwin. Great. Of course he had a plan….


	5. Chapter 5

Little more than a week remained before the next expedition would take them outside Wall Rose. It was hardly unknown territory, but it was titan territory now. Armin wondered, not for the first time, how many more of them would die in the coming weeks….

"Care to join us, Arlert?" Dita Ness, the squad leader in charge of most of their training, halted his horse in front of Armin.

Armin straightened with alacrity. "I apologize, sir!"

Ness snorted. "It's not like you to daydream, soldier. It's your turn. You're teamed with Kirschtein on this run. Make sure you pay attention."

Armin sighed and gathered the reins of his horse. Jean's ODM skill level made Armin look like an awkward child. It would take every bit of effort to not look like an idiot in front of the others.

"Ready?" Jean's horse side-stepped in excitement. "Don't worry, Armin. You got this. You stay low and go for its' ankles. I'll handle the hard stuff."

Far from being insulted, Armin was grateful Jean understood his anxiety for this exercise. They were being assessed as teams in a flat-land simulation that taught them how to use their ODM gear off horse-back. Frankly, he sucked at it. He understood the physics perfectly, but executing the maneuver was bloody difficult. Still, he managed to fire a cable into the fake titan's upper body, lurch out of his saddle and swoop low to hamstring it.

He severed the ropes holding the model together at its' ankles and dove out of the way. Jean leapt from his own horse, used a quick burst of gas, and fired his cables into the titan's back as it fell. He reached the top of his arc, then plummeted furiously straight down to hack a divot from the wooden nape.

He grinned at Armin as they whistled their horses back. "See?"

Armin had to smile back, especially when the other boy nonchalantly looked to see if Mikasa was watching. As much as Jean could be an out-spoken pain in the ass, he was a natural in the air with his gear. But Mikasa pointedly ignored Jean and gave Armin a thumbs' up. The other boy looked crestfallen.

Ness nodded his approval. "Perfect, boys. Always play off each other's strengths. You're done for the afternoon. And you put on a nice show for our audience."

"Huh?"

Jean and Armin followed Ness's gaze. There was a knot of people under a huge oak near their training field. Erwin's bright blond head was easily recognizable, but the others with him not so much….except for a slight figure with a red-gold ponytail….

"What's your girlfriend doing here, Armin?" Jean asked.

A few catcalls and jeers and Armin felt his ears burn. "Knock it off, guys." He held his chin up. "She's not my girlfriend." Eren denied spreading the rumors about that whole kiss situation with Kate, but really, who else could have known?

His comment spurred a light-hearted debate around whose girlfriend she needed to be until Mikasa threatened them with bodily harm.

Kate worried a fold of her skirt between her fingers as they walked back to the old fortess. Her uncle was off with the Commander, who hoped, no doubt, to use his own smooth powers of persuasion to part them of some funds. These Scouts were rabid about their expeditions. Why weren't they content with staying within these walls? Here they were safe, accounted for and free enough to live a high quality of life….

During the trip to the old headquarters, her uncle had, to her surprise, indirectly brought up her clandestine work for the king.

"I've never discouraged you from doing the right thing, Kate, especially after what happened to your father. But nothing you will do will bring him back. Or right what he did. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course, Uncle George." She kept her gaze downcast. Her uncle spoke so rarely of her father. "I know that. Trust that I will always act in the best interest of the people."

"Hmm." He regarded her for a moment. "I certainly hope so. King Fritz is fortunate to have earned such loyalty. I am sure he will never forget everything you've done for _his_ people."

No, she thought, he most assuredly never would. Their king rarely let of something he found beneficial to his cause. She was stuck in this role until he saw fit to let her go. That had never mattered before. She had never cared about anything else.

"Are you becoming a convert, Uncle George? Do you support what these soldiers seek?"

Her uncle seriously considered the question. In the past he would have given her an immediate earful of how worthless the entire Scout Regiment was. "No, not entirely. But after what happened to our city, I am inclined to be a little more open-minded about most anything." He patted her shoulder. "You're an intelligent young lady, Kate, and I'm very proud of you. But don't lose sight of the big picture, no matter what you're asked to do. You will always have a choice, not matter what our monarch tells you."

Not knowing how to even respond to all the things her uncle wasn't saying, Kate had just turned away to look out the window. The enormous old castle had come into view, so it wasn't difficult to pretend to be interested.

"Isn't this exciting?" Jan's eager question brought her back to the present. He was bouncing from foot to foot like a child. "Their OMG gear is amazing. I wish I could join the regiment. But Father would never let me."

"You've got that right."

But even she had to admit that watching the exercise had been pretty exciting. Here, the youn women and men were treated equally and performed equally. _Almost_ equally. A few of the girls had more spectacular skills with the targets, including a dark-haired girl who had spent time talking to Armin. Kate had watched for his bright blonde head the entire time. He had executed his portion of the drill with admirable skill, launching himself from his horse and using both blades in a deadly arc to cut down the model titan.

She remembered with vivid precision how he had acted to save her in Trost, how scary yet exhilarating it had been to fly up to the top of the wall. She'd wrapped herself around his slight but strong frame and held on for dear life. She risked a glance back at the group of soldiers milling around the field. Armin's friend, the tall soldier who had inadvertently knocked her down in the streets of Trost, saw her watching. He elbowed Armin, who promptly sent a panicked look in her direction. The tall soldier laughed before both turned their horses away.

Amused, Kate still found herself chewing at her bottom lip. Why did Armin have to be a soldier? And intelligent and well-read and handsome in that slight, scholarly way that was so unique? Why especially did he have to be a Scout who was about to risk his life exploring beyond the safety of Wall Rose, a Scout whose best friend had saved Trost by transforming into something their government both coveted and feared?

"What are you frowning about, Kate?" Jan asked her.

She scowled. "Nothing. Just nothing. I don't know why you are so impressed with these stupid Scouts anyway."

Jan shot her a knowing glance. "They are so totally hot, aren't they?"

Kate's response was to smack him in the ear.

Erwin summoned Armin to his office as soon as he had cleaned up from the drill.

"Sir George and his son and niece are here to see exactly what the Scout Regiment does. They're staying for an early dinner then they will head back to the city."

"Sir? What does this have to do with me?"

Erwin's hesitation was barely perceptible. "This young girl, Kate, she seems to favor you?"

Not the time to think of how her lips had felt on his _. Get a grip on your adolescent fantasies, Arlert._ Such a question from Erwin mean some subterfuge was at hand. He was sure of it. "I think she's grateful for what I did in Trost," he replied carefully.

Erwin considered him, his expression serious. "I need your assistance, Armin, and your ability to keep something confidential. Can you do that?"

Armin swallowed. Having Erwin's direct attention leveled on you was like being in the sights of a cannon at close range. "Can you tell me why, Commander? Especially if you're asking me to be less than truthful about something. Or to someone."

"I can respect that." Erwin leaned forward slightly. "You know that some within the royal government don't fully support the Scout Regiment. Many citizens feel the same way. They're frightened, afraid of what we might discover beyond the walls. We have good reason to believe one such citizen who wishes to hamper our efforts is Kate Scholz, the girl you rescued in Trost. She's a spy for an organization that works for the crown. Their goal is to wipe our branch of the military out completely."

It was an effort to keep his jaw from literally dropping at Erwin's accusation. But it sure did explain a lot about Kate's behavior when they had first met.

"If we're to stop them, your assistance is critical."

"Yes, sir. What can I do to help?"

As Erwin outlined his plan – and Armin's part in it – the young soldier felt his stomach drop into a puddle somewhere neat his feet.

"Sir, are you certain you're willing to risk your custody of Eren over something like this? And is Eren willing to risk his freedom?"

"He is, as am I. This, just as much as our next expedition, is vital to our success."

 _He's crazy. Or brilliant. Or we're about to make the worst mistake in the history of the Corps. And I will never have a chance to know Kate as anything more than an adversary._

Dinner, prepared from the Sir George's gifts of fresh vegetables, fruit and even a portion of beef, was far more restrained than their usual mess hall of coarse laughter and questionable jokes.

Though it was early, Eren ate like a starving wolf. He must have sensed Armin's amusement as he helped himself to another bowl of rice and vegetables.

"Sorry! I swear, it has something to do with the transformation. It makes me hungry. Hange and I were working on—" he paused, remembering they had non-military company at the table.

"What does it feel like, Eren?" Kate asked, honestly curious. Eren seemed a lot like her cousin – energetic, impatient and ready to take on the world. A typical teen-age boy, really. Except for his neat trick of transforming into a humanoid monster taller than most houses.

"I wish I could tell you. Honest." He looked down at his bowl. "But the provisions that allowed me to join the Scouts also require me to keep my mouth shut."

Armin himself said little. His thoughts were still in turmoil from Commander Erwin's revelation. What was Kate thinking? Was she really a spy? How could she think the Survey Corps was the enemy? If this plan backfired, would he be sent off to farm potatoes for the rest of his life? Questions chased themselves around in his head long enough for the others to notice.

"Armin, are you feeling well?" Kate finally asked him. Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows to make smudged patterns on the table. It lit her hair with streaks of gold. "You've barely eaten."

"Just tired from training, I expect." He put his chopsticks down.

Eren looked from Armin to the pretty girl across from him. He could tell when his friend was thinking too much. "Did Armin tell you he got eaten by a titan first?" he asked brightly.

Armin stomped at Eren's boot under the table.

Kate froze, a scoop of rice half-way to her mouth. "Truthfully? But how did you escape? You don't seem to be missing any important body parts!"

"I was lucky. Another cadet – a totally crap-for-brains friend whose rash actions got us into the situation to begin with – yanked me out and sacrificed himself."

"Ah," she nodded her understanding, remembering what Armin had said during their escape through the tunnel under her house. She smiled at Eren. "You two have a strong bond."

Eren snorted but looked pleased. "There's nothing like being orphaned and nearly starving together to make you close."

Armin closed his eyes. Could he persuade – or extort – Mikasa to get back at Eren for this? It was worth a shot.

Then Eren nudged him. "Take her for a walk," he said, not-quite under his breath. "That way you can kiss her again."

Armin nearly choked on his tea. Kate overheard and smothered her own laugh with her napkin.

"A walk sounds like a great idea, Armin. If you want to, anyway."

A glance at her cousin showed him to be enthralled by one of Olulo's taller tales. He swiveled his head from the older man to Petra as they bantered about the questionable truth of the story. With such entertainment, Jan would never know she had left the table.

This time, no one bothered to chaperone them as they left the old fortress. Erwin caught his gaze as Armin escorted Kate to the door, his nod barely perceptible. The commander's expression was difficult to read. Just as well.

"This place is pretty isolated," Kate commented. "I can see why Eren was sent here."

"Yes. It was necessary for the Survey Corp's custody of Eren. The government imposed several restrictions that are important for us to follow. But you should have seen it before Captain Levi had us scrub every inch."

He knew he sounded a little stiff so he took a steadying breath as he held the door for her. The cobbled walk was swept clean and its' crevices cleared of weeds. Between training and cleaning, Ness and Levi filled every waking moment with as much work as their bodies would take. The routine was okay – plus he had consistent meals and a decent bed - but he still hated doing dishes.

"But it is pretty here. And so quiet."

"I'm sure you're more accustomed to the noise of city life, even on your Uncle's estate."

They walked slowly down the path that led to the stables. The horses were enjoying their evening feed, so Armin led Kate to some bales of hay stacked in front of an empty stall. A break in the trees gave them a clear few of the sun sinking below the rolling hills.

"Jan is very impressed by all of you, especially how you use your – gear, would you call it? You made it look so easy. Is it difficult?"

Armin sat on a bale across from Kate. "It was at first. Very much. Some are better than others." He tried not to grimace at the thought of his own ODM skills.

Kate smiled at him. It was no pretense to smile back. With her hair drawn back, she looked fresh and pretty and innocent. Certainly not deceitful and manipulative. Or like a spy for the king.

She asked him a few more questions about their training. He countered with queries about what she did to pass the time and how she truly felt about her uncle's view of the Scouts. Their careful conversation sputtered and nearly died when Conny came around to light the torches on their posts. He winked at Armin and whistled as he carried his lamp back down the path.

"I like Eren."

Armin raised a brow at Kate's tone. She sounded surprised at her own admission.

"Seriously, it's funny how he teases you, just like a normal friend. But what did he mean about being orphaned and everything?"

He paused before answering her. It was quite obvious that Kate had never, ever worried about such basic things as a soft bed and plentiful food.

"Eren's mother was killed during the Colossal and Armored's first attack on Shiniganshina. My parents died trying to travel beyond the wall, my grandfather in the purge a few years ago. Eren and Mikasa are all I have left. And Mikasa's family was murdered when she was 8 or 9, right in front of her. Eren tracked them and - " _brutally stabbed them to death_ – "um, rescued her."

"Oh, Armin, I'm so sorry. For all of you." She reached her hand to him, the gesture empathetic. This was not a commonality she wanted to share with him. At least she had her uncle. Armin had only his friends. And the Scouts. "Why do you want to see beyond the walls so badly, then? Nothing good comes of it, I'm convinced."

He straightened on his bale. "But how can we not, Kate? How can we just continue to accept what we're told and not find out the truth for ourselves?"

"I don't know. I don't _want_ to know."

"But I do. And my friends as well."

"But it's dangerous. Why venture any further when we're safe here?"

Armin was getting genuinely frustrated. "It's like Eren has always told me – we were born to this world. We deserve to know, to be free. And we can only do that if we fight for the truth beyond the walls." How could he explain it? How could mere words convey the depth of fear, of horror and sheer desperation he and his friends had felt since the fall of Wall Maria?

"We were orphans after my grandfather died in the purge, Mikasa, Eren and I. We lived in a shelter. We worked the fields all day yet barely had enough food to survive." Pushed by an emotion more likely to surge through Eren, he reached out to grasp her hand with both of his.

"Have you ever gone hungry, Kate? Have you ever had to rely on your friends to protect you because you were too weak to fight? I'm finished with that. I never want to live that way again. That's why I joined the Scouts. And why I will do everything I can to discover the truth of this world. And Eren's ability, whether you like it or not, will help us do that or we will all die trying."

His expression was as fierce as his words, his blue, blue eyes holding hers for a long moment. Kate looked down at their hands, hers white with his grip. Armin let go, regret and embarrassment over his impassioned outburst making him look away.

"I'm sorry, Armin," she finally said. "I've always had food and nice clothes and servants to do everything for me. I lost my parents too, but it's nothing like you've endured."

Her father's death had cast its' own shadows over her life. Those shadows still drove her, led her to serve the king's interior without question in order to make her own name shine above the tarnish of betrayal.

But she'd been well-insulated, even during her little forays into intrigue for the government, to care much about the common people Jan ranted about. But Armin was one of them. Eren, too. They were both intelligent and brave beyond doubt and deserved far more than the Scouts could offer. Joining the Survey Corps was almost certain death – even she knew that.

Kate huffed in frustration and pushed herself up from the hay. When the crown had found out she may have a way to get closer to Eren Jaeger, she had been encouraged – no, _directed_ – to use Armin to do so. And right now that sucked. Because her feelings for him were genuine enough. And betrayal apparently was within her character after all.

Angry, at herself, at him and at this moment in general, she turned her frustration on the boy watching her.

"It's not my fault I had all those things, you know. Just like it's not yours that you didn't. But going outside the walls isn't going to change all of that. It won't bring your parents back. Or mine."

"Kate, what are you talking about? You don't understand me at all, do you?" Armin stood as well.

"I don't have to. I can see that you're infected with the same relentless desire to throw your life away beyond this walls, just like the rest of the Survey Corps. Why, Armin? Why can't you all just serve your king and let it go at that? "

Armin's mouth actually fell open. "You can't mean that." It went against everything, _everything_ he believed. _Commander Erwin was so right about her. How can I ever hope to change that?_

Determined, he stepped closer to her. Her dimple showed when she was pissed, Armin discovered, and her eyes were the most insane blue-green he'd ever looked into. The sea must surely mimic this color, he thought, should he live long enough to find out.

"You can't hide behind these walls forever. What happened in Trost proved that."

She just glowered at him, her soft mouth set in a most unyielding line.

"You two are awfully tense to be enjoying such a nice evening."

Levi's deceptively casual comment had them both whirling to face him. He had materialized – as if from the lowering dusk – with his horse.

"Escort Miss Scholz back to her uncle, Arlert, then saddle up. You're to be part of their escort back to Trost."

Armin saluted smartly and turned on his heel, ignoring Kate's surprise. She had no choice but to follow.


End file.
